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(No ModeL) F. J. WOOSTER'.

MACHINE FOR SGOURING AND DRYING SHEET METAL. No; 334,209.

Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

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(No ModeL) 2 SlieetsSheet 2. I. J. WOOSTER.

MAGHINE FOR SOOURING AND DRYING SHEET METAL. No. 334,209. Patented Jan.12, 1886.

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ihvirnn STATES PATE T FREDERICK J. WOOSTER, OF \VATERBURY, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD D. STEELE, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR SCOURING AND DRYING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,209; dated January12, 1886.

Application filed May 11, 1885. Serial No. 165,010. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. Woosrnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Scouring and Drying Out Sheet Metal; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of machines which aredesigned for scouring and drying out sheet metal, particularlysheet-brass, the object being to remove the scale or other inequalitieswhich accumulate on the surface of said sheet metal during the course ofmanufacture, to promote the ready removal of the acid used in cleansingsaid surface, and to aid in the process of finishing said sheet metal inthe simplest and best possible manner; and my improvements consist,essentially, in the details of construction and general arrangement ofparts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and specificallydesignated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of amachine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same withthe lid or cover thrown open; Fig. 3, a side elevation of a modificationthereof; Fig. 4, a front elevation of the dryingout device; Figs. 5 and6, detail sectional views of the same, and Fig. 7 a sectional Viewthereof taken on the line 00 00 of Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference occurring on the several figures indicatelike parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the box or case of the machinesupported upon the legs B, and provided with a hinged lid or cover, C,as shown. Within said box or case A, and near one end, are journaled twohorizontally-arranged circular brushes, D D, the one of which has itsbearings in the lid or cover C, while the other has its bearings in thebottom of the box or frame A, so that when the lid is closed the twobrushes come into juxtaposition to serve as a scouring medium to bothsurfaces of the sheet metal which passes between the same, said brushesbeing revolved in opposite directions to each other by suitable belts orgearing. Upon the front outside end of the box or frame A is secured anadjustable drying-out device, E, through which the sheet metal passes asit enters the box or case A, said device being composed of a rectangularframe, a, provided with a stationary gate or cross-frame, I), at itsupper end, and with an adjustable gate or cross-frame, c, at its lowerend, the two parts being so arranged with relation to each other as toprovide an elongated central slot, d, between the two for the passage ofthe sheet metal, the edges of both gates or cross-framesat this pointhaving a projecting strip of rubber or other suitable elastic material,e, which closelyimpinges upon the upper and lower surface of the sheetof metal as it passes into the machine, to clean or dry off the acidfrom said metal sheet previous to its entering the box or case A. Ihelower gate or cross-frame, c, is adjustable, by means of the screw-rodsg at each end of the frame, to any desired height, so as to increase ordecrease the width of the slot d, through which the sheet metal passes,thereby enabling the rubber or elastic strips e to impinge to a greateror less degree upon the surfaces of the metal sheets, according to thenature or character of the work. Corresponding drying-out devices arearranged upon the rear inside end or other portions of the box or caseA, to allow the metallic sheet to emerge from the machine in a finishedstate, free from the dust contained in said box or case. The ends of thebox or frame A are extended so as to provide bearings for the rollers FF, from one of which the metal unwinds as it passes through the machineto be cleaned, and upon the other one of which the finished sheet metalis wound, said rollers being easily removed upon the completion of thework for the substitution of others.

In the operation of my invention the metal sheet passes from the rollerupon which it is wound through the slot between the gates orcross-frames into the box or frame A, which is filled with fine sawdust,covering said brushes and the sheet metal, to absorb what little acid ormoisture is left upon the surfaces of the sheet metal after it passesthe impinging rubber scrapers upon the edges of the gates, said rubberor other elastic scrapers effeotually removing the greater part of theacid before the sheet enters the machine. The revolving brushes D Dcomplete the process of thoroughly drying off the sheet metal, whichthen emerges through the slot between the gates at the opposite endpreparatory to being wound upon the roller F, the rubber scrapers uponthe gates at the front end of the machine serving to brush off thesawdust from the metal sheet before it passes from the machine, therebykeeping the sawdust confined within the box or frame A. By means of myimprovements the process of finishing the metal sheets is greatlyfacilitated, with a great saving of the sawdust and labor heretoforeemployed.

1t is obvious that my improvements may be employed with equal effect inconnection with the ordinary machine having a series of rollers arrangedWithin the box or case A, the said rollers being adapted to act uponboth surfaces of the metal sheet as it passes through the machine, asfully shown in Fig. 3, and such use or adaptation is hereby contemplatedby me.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and useful 1. Theherein-described machine for scour- 3o ing and drying sheet metal,consisting of the box or case A, having suitable supportinglegs, B, andhinged lid or cover 0, and provided with the horizontally-arrangedbrushes D D, drying-out devices E, constructed as described, and therollers F F, substantially as and for the purpose specified.-

2. In combination with an inclosing box or case, A, for retainingsawdust, provided with suitable brushes, the drying-off device E,composed of the frame a, provided with the stationary gate b, andadjustable gate 0, having elastic scraping-edges e, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

3. In a machine for scouring and drying sheet metal, the drying-offdevice E, consisting of the rectangular frame a, provided with the upperstationary gate, I), and lower adjust able gate, 0, having the edgesthereof provided with elastic scrapers, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J. VVOOSTER.

IVitnesses:

E. D. STEELE, D. M. DAVIS.

